Windowpanes
by sky tulips
Summary: —ღ——ღ—◦ ◦ ●He was drenched in rain and smeared in blood. It was hard to tell who it affected the most. [OneShot] [Kurogane x Fai]—ღ——ღ—


**Windowpanes**

The gentle drumming of rain slowly wakened him from his heavy sleep. His eyelids flickered immediately to the empty bed next to him.

Fai had not returned.

Kurogane breathed in heavily and stood up, a sickening knot forming in his stomach.

How could he allow this to happen?

He had promised himself he wouldn't sleep until Fai had returned, and now, it was nearly dawn and the first morning rain was starting to fall. A stench of ripened honeysuckle dampened the windowpanes. Kurogane drummed his knuckles repetively, staring into the still darkened early morning. The hissing and spurting of the continuous rainfall was almost churning the skies. It fell harshly onto the thick soil of their garden. Drowning Fai's newly planted peony.

Kurogane frowned, thinking back to the morning.

---

"Peony," he had said, raising his eyebrow.

Fai turned and fathomed a lopsided smirk.

"I want to make bouquets, Kuro-tan,"

Kurogane sighed,

"And why, dare I ask, would you want to do such a thing?"

Fai turned back to his planting,

"Flowers make Sakura-chan smile, and in return, make Syoaran-kun smile, and of course, you and I can play wedding, Kuro-sama!"

Kurogane instantly regretted asking the question.

"So, we can take it in turns," Fai began, "I'll be the bride and throw you my fabulous peony bouquet, then, in turn, Kuro-chan can get dressed up in the lace and the ribbons and be the bri-"

"Okay, stop," growled Kurogane, "You can't possibly expect me to be a part of your ridiculous games,"

Fai let out a flicker of content laughter.

"Of course not, Kuro-pippi," Fai then stood up and looked at the darkening sky, "Rain tonight, hmm? I think I can get back before it starts,"

Kurogane sighed, "Get back from where?"

"I need to get some fertiliser for all the crops and plants and of course a cover for the flowers, otherwise they'll never grow, especially if they drown," Fai explained, skipping down the garden path.

"But it's nearly nightfall," Kurogane warned.

"Kuro-tan, there's no need to worry," Kurogane began to make protests at this stage, "I will be back before you can change into your nightgown,"

Fai clicked the catch of the picket gate.

---

Kurogane picked up his sword. He should've set off to look for Fai ages ago. At this hour, there was no knowing what the magician had gotten himself into.

Until, a soft smell of smoke and blood trailed it's way into the room.

The sound of the door opening and closing happened very slowly.

Kurogane exited the room and blinked at the person who had walked through the door.

"What-"

But Fai was already wavering. His thin body was slumped, barely walking and barely breathing. The stench of blood hung over him like a sinister perfume, tainting his pure garments to red, dripping rags. The smell of polluted air and contaminated fluids protruded from his pallid skin. Fai lifted his head, his golden tresses in disarray, with specks of deepest ash and stunning scarlet. His emitted cold, his flesh like ice. Soaked through by the overpowering rainfall. The flow of the rain was readable on his whole body, maybe washing away only half the blood that had been spilt. But above all, Kurogane noticed a pained look in the depth of those solid crystal blue eyes. The look of terror and sickness and all of this in reflection of the coppery scent of newly-spilt blood.

Fai began to fall.

With more quickness and care than he'd attempted in his life, Kurogane ran to Fai's side and steadily supported him by his slender shoudlers.

"Kuro-" Fai started.

Kurogane hushed him.

"What happened to you?"

Fai slowly let out a tear.

"It-" he paused, blinking back his tears, "I'm okay- I'll be fine,"

Kurogane almost shivered at the feel of Fai's icy fingertips. He shook his head and quickly hoisted Fai on top of his shoulders.

"We need to clean your wounds and dry you off,"

And for a split second, Kurogane was postive he saw the glimpse of a truly serene smile upon the mage's lips.

---

Fai cradled himself beside the fire.

Kurogane repeated his question again with the same amount of coldness.

"Who the hell attacked you out there?"

Fai replied by flicking at his bandages and laughing nervously.

"Nobody," he assured Kurogane, "It was nothing, I just understimated an oni is all, Kuro-rin,"

Kurogane sighed and turned to the window ledge, his gaze focused on the crumpled flowers, petals scattered in the aftershock of rain.

Fai crept up behind him and tugged the back of his robe. He held up his unbandaged arm, the blood still flowing from the ripened cut.

He looked up into Kurogane's eyes with the strangest look of suffering on his lightened features.

"It-" he said in a calm voice, "It _hurts_,"

Kurogane reached for another bandage.

"I know," he said, close to a whisper, "It hurts me too,"


End file.
